Cadets study the sources and development of international law through the actions of states, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations. The course is divided into four distinct but related parts. The first part introduces students to general principles of international law. In the second part cadets examine international use of force rules through various case studies involving both multilateral and unilateral action. The third part is devoted to human rights law. Cadets study major international human rights documents: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the European and American Conventions of Human Rights. The class also covers important topics such as derogation of human rights, cultural relativism, and the international mechanisms for enforcement of human rights. The last part of the course is devoted to a study of international judicial bodies, the International Court of Justice, regional international courts, the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and the role of amnesty in the international system is discussed.
